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Outpatient appointment but building closed

Posted By hydrusmb46

"Outpatient appointment but building closed"

About: General practices in Ayrshire & Arran

(as a service user),

I had an outpatient appointment arranged with Stewarton Health Centre which I was to attend today.  I called this morning to check and was advised this was fine.  However when I arrived at the practice the door was locked with two notices up - one about the easter closing times and the other stated that the centre was closed for the afternoon for staff training.  

Why didnt the person I spoke to this morning not mention this when I called and how can a centre shut when they have appointments. I have check the letter again and it clearly states to report to Stewarton Health Centre.  I am very frustrated due to the time I have been waiting for this appointment

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Responses

Response from Eunice Goodwin, Patient Feedback Manager for NHS Ayrshire and Arran, Quality Improvement and Governance Team, NHS Ayrshire and Arran 6 years ago
Eunice Goodwin
Patient Feedback Manager for NHS Ayrshire and Arran, Quality Improvement and Governance Team,
NHS Ayrshire and Arran

I respond initially to most of the posts and ensure they are passed to the appropriate team whether they are compliments, observations or grumbles. It is important to make sure all issues are addressed and I try to encourage that to happen for all the posts as required.

Submitted on 26/03/2018 at 12:07
Published on Care Opinion at 16:16

picture of Eunice Goodwin

Dear hydrusmb46,

I am really sorry, this is very upsetting and angering. I have looked into this for you and I suspect I know what has happened.

The doctor you were to see 'visits' the practice from the North West Area Centre (NWAC), using a room in the practice for his consultations.

On your appointment day, the practice was closed for mandatory training (Protected Learning Time). The practice manager checked that the staff (who arrange the appointments) at the North West Area Centre were aware of the closed practice.

I can only surmise that your call was to the NWAC and it was a member of that staff who were unaware that the Ayrshire and Arran GPs were all closed that afternoon. This is by way of explanation and not an excuse, you still had a fruitless visit and I am sorry you did.

If the explanation I have given does not relate to you, please contact the practice manager to discuss it further, in the meantime Mrs Bird, Practice Manager, would also like to apologise for your wasted visit.

I will also pass this on to the management team responsible for the arrangement of the training so they can review the communication about these sessions as it seems that it was not water-tight on this occasion.

I hope you have a new appointment now.

Kind regards,

Eunice

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